Variable-speed gearing.



PATENTED NOV. l2, 190'/v Er P. GOWLES.

VARIABLE SPEED GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED DECLSI. 1902.

` 3 SHEETS-SEIBT 1.

No. 870,715. .PATENTED Nov. 12, 19o?.

E. P. oovvLEs;

VARI-ABLE SPEED GBARING.

APPLIOATION FILED 330.31.1902.

a SHEETS-SHEET s.

5' fyi/Denim;

PATENTED NOV. l2, 1907.

E. P. OWLES. VRIABLE SPEED GBARING.

APPLICATION FILED DB(1.31,1902.

3 SHEBTS-SEEBT 3.

EDWARD P. COWLES, OF WARREN, OHIO,

VARIABLE-SPEED GEnRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed December 31| 1902. Serial No. 137.369.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. Cowtcs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Warren, in the county of i Trumbull, State of Ohio,haveinvented certain new f ,and useful Improvements in Variable-SpeedGearing,

0f which the following is a specilication.

g vMy invention relates to variable speed. transmission gears,particularly to a special form of gear, consisting of a` pinion engaginga disk provided with concentric circular rows of pockets or indentationsadapted to receive the pinion teeth, and means connecting the differentrows 'oi said pockets, so that the pinion can be ,moved lfrom one row toanother without disengagiug the disk, and is especially adapted to motorvehicles l5 operated by non-reversing motors.

i f '..Ithas forits object, to produce a gear whereby the motion of''the vehicle, or machine, can be varied,

. stopped or reversed, without disengaging the gears, or

disconnecting any part.

It consists'first: in providing the disk gear or series of gears, with asegment having pockets shaped to allow the pinion to be moved from onerow to another, to

lchange the speed without disengaging, and giving aii appreciable timeto inakc such change. Second in A extending' this segment to the centerof the disk whereby the pinion can be traversed to the center, with onetooth in the center pocket, around which the dir-k can turn while thepinion remains statioi'iary. Third,

. means whereby the pinion can he traversed past the kcenter to theopposite side of the disk, to reverse the .inotion. Fourth, in means forpositively, and auto.

, matically, traversing the pinion from center to circurn `'ference-ofthe disk, or vice versa, on either side, and maintaining the pinion inengagement with a row of *35. pockets with precision.

The inventio'n consists further in arrangement of parts, and specificdevices for efecting the various movements, and shaping the pockets, allof which will be fully described .in the following specification,reierence being had to the accompanying drawings, in

which I, Figure 1 is a side view of the disk. Fig. 2 is an end 'Viewwith pinion. Fig. 3 is a top view showing means ,for traversing thepinion. Fig. .4 is a portion of end view showing the traversing cam diskand rack. Figs. .4, & 4b are details 0i traversing cani. Fig; 5 showsymy principle applied to a pinion and cone, consisting oi a series ofspur gears. Fig. 6 is a side view of a disk gear. with thetraversingsegment extending entirely .around the disk. Fig. 7 is ya top view ofthe traversing cani adapted to a disk .like Fig G. Fig. 71I is a detailof Fig. 7. f Fig. 8 shows a device for shaping the pockets in`disk.."fFig. 8a isa detailoi Fig. S. l yRtifcrring to the drawings, 9indicates a disk, which 5,5,canbe the balance wheel of the motor. Thereare Q A,iorined in the face ofr this disk a series of circular rows ofpocketsdflt). arranged concentric with each other and with thedisk 9,said pockets heilig spaced equal distances apart, and all having acommon pitch. shaft 1l, Figs. 2 and 3 is arranged parallel with the faceof thc disk 9, its axis cutting the axis oi thc disk. This shaft isinountcd in suitable bearings l2, which arc perin-.uicntly connectedwith the bearing 13 of disk 9. Said shaft is provided with a pinion 14,having teeth adapted to cog-ago with thc rows of pockets 10 in disk 9.ln thc cinbodinicnt of thc invention illustrated in Figs. l to 4 tlicscteeth arc round, having a section in the rotating plane, conformingtothe shape of pinion teeth, as shown in Figs. 2 land 3. The hub 15 ofsaid pinion 14 is connected to thc shaft ll by a slot and feather, or,preferably, shaft 11 is gioovcd like pinion wire, and the hub 15 isprovided with a serios of internal teeth extending throughout itslength, which tceth'iit in the grooves of shaft l1, adapting the hul andpinion to slide freely on shaft ll, whilc boing rotatively rigid withit. It is obvious thatv as the pockets in the circular rows 10, 10 areall of the saine pitch, pinion 14 will Work smoothly in any of them. V

It will bc sccn that instead of pdckets oi' pcrforalions sunk in theface or surface of the disk thc circular rows can be in the iorm ofteeth. foi-ined by raising that. porplain surface, in which case theywould appear like the odge of disk 9 in Fig. 2. In the drawings pocketsor iudeiitutions are shown and thc term pockets used to make thcdescription pcrfcctly clear, but it will be understood that tccth, oi'the usual or any desired form, can bc used.

The pockets in rows l0, IO arc arranged to start from a couiniou radialline as at lo, Fig. l.. That is one pocket of cach concentric series ofrowsvis arranged in the same radial lino, or `euch of said series can beconsidcrcd as starting from said line.`

ln addition to the pockets arranged, as aforesaid, in

the concentric rows, l0, thcre are provided other, siinilar pocketswhich are arranged to intersect and coin- Inunicate with thc teeth orpockets in the concentric rows l() and to i'orin spilal paths throughwhich the pinion maybe moved from one circular row of pockets to anothercorresponding row.

It will be seen that the pockets adjacent to line lil on either sidewill form practically straight rows, parallel l with line 16, growingshorter and increasing in number ncar thc periphery of the disk, formingor occupying a segment ot' thc disk. This scgnicnt can include anydcsircd portion or extent of disk 9: 1n Fig. l of th'e drawing it coversone sixth oi the face of thedisk being included bctwocn the broken lines17. 17. The said straight parallel rows may be joined by slots 16 18,is', 19, isf.

It will be seen that each o the aforesaid spiral lines intersects at itsends pockets in two oi the concentric tion 58, Figs. l and (i, betweenthe pockets fiom the rio rows, and connects such concentric rows. Thesaid intersections of the spiral -lines and concentric rows form, asaforesaid, a series of parallel rows.

It is obvious that il pinion 14 is caused to commence traversingfrorn-for instance-the outside circular row to the next inside, whenline 17 is opposite its eenter, it can occupy the time it takes thesegment to pass this center in making the movement, following the brokenspiral line 20 giving pinion 14 an appreciable length ofrtime to do so.During the next revolution the pinion can be moved from the secondconcentric row of pockets 10, to the third or next succeeding rowtowardthe axis of the disk, and so on until it reaches the center,following the broken spiral lines 20 similar to 20,', as shown. M henthe pinion reaches the center .'of disk 9, one tooth thereof is engagedin the central pocket 21, the pinion being held stationaryr` while thedisk 9revolves around said central tooth as a hearing. A circular recess22 is formed around the central pocket 21, in which the two teeth ofpinion 14, (23, 23 Fig. 2.)

' adjacent to the toot-h engaged in the central pocket 2l `are free topass as disk 9 revolves. Pinion 14 can be traversed from center tocircumference in the same way, following in such outward movement thebroken spiral lines 24 instead of 20.

It is obvious that when pinion 14 is at the center of disk 9, if themovement of the pinion 14 is continued to theA left, and is commencedwhen the traversing segment included between lines 17, 17 is ontheopposite side of the disk, it will traverse the left side from thatit occupied when the pinion was'moving from the periphery to the centerof the disk theV same as has been describedfor the right side, and thatit will revolve in an opposite direction or, its motion will bereversed.

It will be understood that if the pinion 14, after bei traversed oradjusted from one row of pockets in the I y, disk 9 to' another, acrossthe traversing segment, is re In the presentinstance this multiple is 4,and it will be tained in this position,l it will be engaged and drivencontinuously by the then engaging row of pockets, until it is movedagain, and the speed of the pinion will be decreased -or increasedaccording as it is moved or traversed to, or from the center of the disk9.

The concentric rows of pockets 10 increase in diameter from the centerby a common increment, and therefore the number 'of pockets in each havea common multiple. There can be as many different traversing segments onthe disk as there are units in this multiple,

' seen from Fig.I 1 of the drawing that there can be four ris traversingsegments, the pockets arranging themselves in practically parallel rowsat four points, at right angles to each other, and, therefore, thepockets at anyof these points could be shaped toorm traversing segmentsand pinion 14 be moved four times during each revolution of disk 9.However I prefer to employ one segment as shown.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I show a means for positively and automaticallytraversing pinion 14 from one rowv of pockets in the disk 9 to another.Adjacent the opposite face or side of disk 9 from thatengaged by pinion14 is mounted a shaft 25, having bearings 26, 26 in the .frame 13 of themotor. I' The axis of this shaft is practically parallel With that ofshaft 11 and its inner end is connected by ruiter gears 27 tothe shaftofdisk 9, so

disk. On the outer end of shalt 25 is secured a cam disk 28, having adiameter which will cause its periphery to project slightly beyond theface of the disk 9, with which the pinion 14 engages. A bar 21),arranged `parallel to shaft 11 and movable longitudinally in suit- 14turns freely in this sleeve, but may be forced along shaft l1 by it.liar 29 is provided with rack-like teeth 33, spaced accurately the samedistance apart as the circular rows of pockets 19 in disk 9. The edge ofcani disk 28, projecting beyond front face ol' disk 9, passes betweenthe teeth on bar 29, and when so engaged, pinion 14 will be in positionto engage one of the concentric rows of pockets 10, in disk 9. Cam disk28, has a gap 34 cut in its periphery to allow the teeth 33 on bar 29 topass through either way, the edges of this gap and the edges of teeth 33have a knife edge, so that they cannot abut, as shown in Fig. 4".Thisgap is placed so that the teeth 33 on bar 29 can commence to passthrough it the instant that line 17 on disk 9 comes opposite the centerof pinion 14, and is of such a length as to allow the teeth 33 to occupya period of time in such passing corresponding to the dimensions orproportions of the traversing segment. In the form illustrated in Fig. 1this time is one sixth of thatrequired for a revolution of cam disk 28and disk 9. Pivoted to bar 29, at 35, is a rod 36, extending to a lever(not shown) conven; ient for the operator to handle, by means of whichrod 29 and pinion 14 can be moved along shaft 11.7 and across the faceof disk 9,

In operation, assuming that pinion 14 is engaged with the outsideconcentric row of pockets 10 in the disk 9, and cam disk 28 is engagedbetween the first two teeth 33, on bar 29, the operator by means oflever (not shown) and' rod 36, connected to' said lever and bar 29,presses bar 29 to the left. This causes tooth 33, to bear against theoutside of cam disk 28, andwhen the gap 34 in this disk comes intoregister' with this tooth, it follows the lower outside beveled edge34,` (Fig. 4") until the upper edge 34 engages the upper' edge of tooth33,when the tooth and bar 29 are forced toward the axis of disk 9 untilcam disk 2S is engaged between the second and third teeth on said bar,and the pinion 14 is engaged in the second circular row`of disk. It isobvious that the pinion 14 can be traversedy from center tocircumference of disk 9in the same man- Iner as has been described fortraversing in the opposite direction, by pressing bar 29 to the right.The number of teeth 33 on bai; 29 are suflicient only to provide fortraversing the sight side of disk 9, and when pinion 14 is at the centeroi disk 9, the last tooth 33a will bear on the inner side of cam disk28.v The outer end of bar 29 has a return bend which bringsthe end29 onthe opposite side of cam disk 28 from Vhar 29, said end 29 sliding inaway 30,,iin frame'lS. `'It is provided with rack teeth' tht it revolvesaccurately with the same speed' as the i 33 similar to thoseonbar 29'.These teeth are so placed with respect to those on bar 29, that whenpinion 14 occupies the central position with one of its teeth engaged inthe central pocket 2l in disk o. the last tooth 33 on bar 29 will bearon the inner sido of cam disk 28,

5 `and-the rst tooth 33" on the har 29 will bear on the outside of saidcani disk, thus maintaining pinion 14 in its central position.l l whilethe parts are in this posi- Qtion pressure is exerted to move bar 2t) tothe left, the

rst tooth 33 on bar 29 will be pressed against the outside of earn disk28 until the gap 34 therein comes into register with this tooth, whichwill be hall' a revolution `later than its registering with the teeth 33on har 29, and

Iconsecmently the traversing segment between broken lines i7, 17 on disk9, will be at the left of the center of 15 diskif), and teeth 33 on bar29 will commence to pass through gap 34, when line 17 opposite thecenttr of ypinion 14 on the'left side of disk t). As hereinbeforeexl'piainied underthese conditions pinion l-i can be traversed fromcenter to circumference or vice versa on 20 the jleft side of disk 9,the same as has been explained for the right side, and it is obviousthat on this side pinion 14 will revolve in an opposite, or reversedirec- 'tion from what it would when acting on the right side ofsaidrdisk.

If too great pressure were applied to bar 29 when the teeth 0n bars 29d.' 29 were passing through gap 3i, it might move too far and causetrouble. To obv iate this, iiprovide the lower edge of gap 3l in camplate, 2S, with an adjustable lip 37, Figs. Ll da 4, capable ol' alimited 30 movement about the pivot 3S. It extends up to nearly touchthe opposite edge 34. when it comes opposite a tooth ch bars 2:9, 2W,under pressurc, it is pre'sscd over the positions shown by broken litrosl, and thc tooth follows up the slantiug side but is not disengaged 35until the upper edge "1" ol' gap 3l engages the next tooth, which makesit impossible to move the pinion l-'t but one step in a revolution oidisk E). di y1n Fig. I have shown my invention applied to a series ofspur gears 39, arranged in the form of a. step 40 cone. Like thecircular rows ot' pockets l() in Fig. l they'vary in diameter by acommon increincnt and have teeth all of the same pitch. n pinion 40 isarA ranged to slide along a shaft similar to shaft. l l in Fig. 3, andis provided willi nrc-ans to slide it along this Q5 shaft from one gearto another, similar to the device shown in connection with Fig. 3,except that thc cam .gea Can be a flange projecting troni one of theyoutside `i Agears,` and as this form docs not stop, or rcvcrsc, thereturnbend in bar 2t) can he omitted. lho pinion shaitisarranged withits axis 4l parallel with the average Cone line 42 oi gears 39. lloththe pinion and gears are slightly beveled to conform to thc relativeangle *of the two axes. Gear wheels 39 are. arranged with '.oneitooth inea'ch in a plane containing tht-axis at 1125. The adjacent tceth oncithcr sido of this line will be in practically parallel lines forming asegmcnt broadening towards tho hngc cud of cono 3i) between 43. 43, hasbeen explaincd in connection with Fig. l. The i teeth` in this segmentand all of the pinion let-th are cut decpcron one side, so that. theirbottoms are parallel Withtthe axis of pinion 40, as shown by brokenlirios at 44; and. the faces of pinion tccth and adjacent faces .i offteeth in the segment are cnt nearlyparallol, so that while pinion 40 ispassing through this's'egment it can 'i loe traversed from one gear toanother either way, in the manner explained in connection with Fig. 3.When it is desired te usev a less number of gears, but to retain therange of speeds, one or more of the steps between the wheels it isdesired to use, can be left out, retaining the portion of the soginentlying between them. If the space between the wheels used is considerable(that is, if more than one wheel is left out) the portion of thetraversing segment between the wheels, will be in the form of a conicalhelix, extending one or more times around, and leadingfrom one wheel toanother', subst autinlly the sumo as will hereinafter be described inconnection with Fig. (i. lt will be observed thaty if the center of diskin Figs. l and 6 were drawn forward towards the observer it woulddevelop the conc gear in Fig. 5, the circular rows o teeth would bechanged to gear wheels A29, and the spirals 45 and 46' in Fig. G to acortical helix, as referred to above. This form is adapted to motorsthat can bo conveniently reversed and stopped like steam, in which casethe pinion may be the driver, and the cone gears the driven; the sznnccan be done with the disk form, as it would not be necessary for thepinion to traverse to the center or across.

ln Fig. (i l have shown a slightly changed form of disk gear from thatshown in Fig. l, it being adapted for use where it is desired to use aless number of pockets but to retain the rango of speeds. In the diskillustratcd in Fig. 6 there are only three circular rows oi pockets l0,giving three changes of speed,` the two 'circular rows ol' pockets shownin Fig. fl between cach of thesrl illustrated in Fig. (5 being olnittcd.ln this case the incrcasod sp-.ico between the circular rows of'pockets, l0, l() requires that the traversing segment bc much extended,1o give the pinion time to traverse from ontl row to anothcr. ln -thepresent instance it is practically extended entirely around the disk. lthowever, could extend one halt, or one thirdway around. Owing to thedistance between the circular rows of pockets l0, l() thc spiral andconcentric. rows ol' pockcts do not cut into each other, and the slotslo, I8, lS, lil, I9 disappear. The pinion in traversing from onc row toanother, and starting on radial liuc iti. follows the spiral lino A15toward thc center and the spiral lino liti, fit from the ccntcr. ln thepresent instance lhcsc spiralspass entirely around the disk, from onecircular row to another. the pinion entering the next succccding,rconcentric row at. a point in a line l including the point iront whichit started in the preceding concentric row and t gcthor they torni twocontinuous spirals, one, 45 leading from the circuinfcr cncc lo thecentral pocket 2l, and thc other, 4G, leading from the central pocket2], to the circumference. And ii desired, pinion l-i could traversocontinuously across tho Iaco of disk 9 in cithcr dircction. 'lhe spiralscan however go ono or more times and a fraction, between the circularrows of pockets l0, l().

tam disk 28 is modified to adapt it to tho increased distance betweencircular rows of pockets l0, by making it thicker and cutting right andleft. hand threads `or slots 4S), 49 in its periphery of a pitch equalto thc distance between circular rows ol' pockets l0, l0. 'lecth 33 arepivotcd to bar 2t and have a limited oscillatory movement shown inbroken lines 5() in Fig. 7. When the har 29 is pressed to the left., oneof these teeth bears against the outside oicain disk 2S until theopeningof slot 49 registers with it, when it turns, as

shown at 50 Fig. 7, and follows this slot, forcing pinion 14 to followalong the spiral line 45. When the bar is pressed to the right one ofthe teeth 33 bears against the inner side of cam disk 28 until slot 49registers with it, when it turns as shown at 50 and follows this slotforcing pinion 14 to follow along the spiral line 46.4 Return bend 29has the saine function in this case as that, described in connectionwith Fig. 3. YBy simply moving bar 29 one way or the other until pinionteeth have followed the spiral line beyond the point where they cut intocircular rowsof pockets l0, l() pinion 14 Would be moved along its shaftby its teeth engaging the pockets in the spiral lines, without cam disks28, but l prefer the more positive method described.

The pockets 10, 10 have to be cut away slightly on the edges toaccommodate the teeth ot' pinion 14, entering in a circle at rightangles to face of disk 9' and have to be cut away more on those near thecenter as shown at 47, 47. To make the drawing more clear I have shownslots lG, 1S, 18, 19, 19 in Fig. l, straight, with smooth sides. Howeverin practice they would not be so, the pockets would run into each other,leaving the sides with a twisted, corrugated surface. lt would bediilicult or impossible to shape these teeth or pockets mathematically.lt may be done mechanically by the means shown in Fig. S referring towhich 9 indicates a blank disk of some soft material, such as wood orsoit metal, which is mounted on a shaft 48, provided with means toeither revolve it continuously or for oscillating it back and forth to alimited extent. Pinion 14 and its shaft l1 are similar to that describedin connection with F ig. 3, the pinion having a hub adapted to slide onshaft ll across the face of disk 9 but in respect to` rotation rigidwith it. `The bearings of shaft 11 have means for moving the` shaft andlpinion toward and from the disk 9.. The teeth 51 of pinion 14 areshaped accurately like those of pinion 14 but are provided with Cuttingedges like milling cutters, as shown at 52, Fig. 8, and each is mountedon a spindle 53, turning in bearings in the solid part 54 of the pinion,so that they revolve on an axis radial with the pinion. Each spindle 53isprovided with a bevel Wheel 56, pinion 55 which engages with a bevelsecured to a sleeve 57, which turns freely on shaft 11. The outer end ofthis sleeve is provided with means to revolve it and v the pinion teeth,constantly, and at the same time stantially the s allow the sleeve toslide along shaft 11 as for instance, a flanged pulley, belted to adrum. Shaft ll is connected to a shaft 48 of disk 9 by change gears,subie as the change gears between the leading screw and head of screwcutting engine lathe,

`so that by changing the gears, pinion 14 can be made in the trainconnecting shaft 11 with shaft 48 that will give the pinion the exactspeed relative to disk 9 that it would have when driven by engagementthere- V with, Pinion 14 is then fed up slowly to disk 9 as it revolves,until a circular row of pockets is cut" to the proper depth. Pinion 14is then moved opposite the next circular row, a suitable4 gear placed inthe train, and the operation repeated, and so on, until the center isreached. In cutting the central pocket pinion 14 is held stationary,with the axis of one tooth in line with the axis of disk 9. .As it isfed toward the disk this tooth cuts the central pocket 21,

and the two adjacent teeth 232, 233 cut the circularv recess 22, Thetraversing movement is then applied to pinion 14, and the disk 9oscillated back and forth one sixth of a revolution, with the traversingsegment, between lines 17 da 17, opposite the pinion and the proper gearin Athe train.V As the disk oscillates, pinion 14 will traverse back andforth from one circular row to another and as it is fed to disk 9 willcut the spiral rows20-24, across the traversing segment. The disk shownin`Fig. G would have its pockets cut in the same way except in the lastoperation the disk would oscillate back and forth one revolution. It isobvious that by'this means the pockets would be shaped perfectly to runsmooth and true. The disk after being cut can be used as alpattern7 tocast from, and the same means can be used to finish the casting.

The pockets can be of different form from these shown, in any case asection in the plane of revolution should develop the curves of pinionteeth adapted to work in a rack, and a section laterally, the curves o fa rack tooth. A

For shaping pockets adapted to pinion teeth of a different shape fromthose shown, (that is, not round), l would make the blank disk 9 of asuitable kind of Wax, and employ a metal pinion 14 having teeth of theshape desired and kept at a temperature sufficient to melt away the wax.

Shaft 11 can be connected to the driving axle of a motor vehicle by anysuitable means. Preferably I would place the shaft at such aninclination from the l horizontal that a prolongation of its axis wouldcut the axis of the driving axle, and connect it to the driving Y axleby a Iiexibly connected shaft and bevel gears, l

propelling Wheels and motor. For this-,reason no.

brake is required. The pinion -14 traversing towards center of disk 9effectually checks and controls the speed ofthe vehicle. All thefunctions of regulating l the speed, braking, stopping, reversing, etc.,are performed without coupling or uncoupling any part, 0r disconnectingthe motor from the'v propelling Wheels in any way. v f

'In going down inclines, checking the speed, etc. the momentum of thevehicle is thrown on the motor, power being transmitted from the runninggear to the motor. The friction of the motor-'has such a great `leverageon this power when transmitted in this direction, that it is practicallyneutralized, but when lpinion 14 is near the periphery it might increasethe speed of the motor beyond a safe limit. To obviate this I would usean automatic balance wheel brake,

'of construction, and arrangement oi' the apparatus herein beforedescribed can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention. Thus for instance, the desk can be provided with other formof ,gear engaging means from those shown. Many equivalent devices may besubmitted for shitting the pinionirom one gear to another, and othermeans for mounting the pinion to move parallel with face of disk on a-diainetrical' line, may be introduced in place of those shown. I intendin the broader claims ofY this speciiication, to cover all suchequivalent devices, and in the more speciiic claims to cover theparticular devices illustrated and described, and which at the presenttime seem to be the best embodiment of my invention. Y f

It will be observed that the pinion 14 in following the spiral paths20--24 and 45-46 from onecircular row to another, has its rotary motionaccelerated or retarded to synchronize With the circular row it isaboutto enter, so that in chanenfr there is no shock or jar. Pinion 14running out of one row, along the spiral -path, into another row lassmoothly, and positively, as when engaged in one of the circular rc ws.

Having thus described the invention, what is .claimed as new; anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In u varinble spccd gearing, the combination of a gear having aplurality of series of engaging surfaces all of the same pitch andarranged nt dillerent distances from the axis of the gear, a pinionmeshing with said geur, power devices for connecting said gear andpinion with a motor and with un element to b'e driven, and meansactuated by the gear for shifting,r the pinion into engagement witheither series of said surfaces on the geur while engaged therewith andwhile the motor and connecting de vices are in operation.

2. In a variable speed gearing, the combination of u gear having aplurality of series of engaging sur es all of the same pitch andarranged :1t different distances from the axis of the gen1', euch seriesstarting from a common line lying in a plane including the axis of thegear, und forming a segment of parallel rows adjacent said line, apinion meshing,r with sold geur, power devices for connecting said geurand pinion with a motor and witlran element to be driven, and means forshifting the pinion into engagement with either series of engagingsurfaces on the gear while passing said segment ot' parallel rowswithout disengaging it from the gen1-'and while the motor and connecting devices are in operation.

3. In a vurinblc speed gearing, the combination of a rotatable diskhaving in one iacc n plurality of series of pockets arranged inconcentric rows and ,means connecting allvof said concentric rows on thclio radii, whereby a pinion continuously engaging said disk may he movedfrom one of said rows to another, a pinion engaging said pockets l inthr,` disk, power devices ior connecting' said disk and pinion with amotor and with an element to be driven, and

means for adjusting said pinion from one of said concern the pockets insnld disk, and means actuated by one of said shafts for shifting thepinion transversely of the disk und into engagement with any desired rowof pockets in said disk, to vary the speed o1' the driven shaft;Iwithout disconnecting said disk and pinion or. any of the power devicesconnected with either ol' them,

5. Iu n variable speed gearing. the combination of n driving shaft. ndriven shaft, a disk connected to one of said shafts and having in oneface n series of pockets arranged in concentric rows, a pinion connectedto the other of said shafts to move longitudinally thereof und rotatetherewith. said pinion engaging lhc pockets in the disk, und meansactuated by one of said shafts for adjusting the pinion longitudinallyof tlu.` shaft willi which it is connected to caus'e it to engage anydesired row of pockets in the disk without disconnecting either saiddisk and pinion or disengaging any of the power devices.

d. ln a variable speed :reni-ing, the combination of a gear having aplurality of series of pockets arranged in concentric rows undsupplemental pockets arranged in spiral rows that intersect und connectsaid concentric rows, a pinion meshing with suld gear, power devices forconnecting said gear and pinion with a motor and un element'to bedriven, nud means for shifting the pinion-into engagement with thepockets of either concentric row of '|pockets on the geur, said' sph-nlrows of pockets permitting such adjustment und giving nu appreciablelength of time therefor while the pinion und gear are in engagement undthe motor und connecting devices in operation.

In a variable speed gearing the combination of n ro tatnhlc disk having:i plurality of series of pockets urrnnged in concentric rows and also aseries oi' pockets arranged in spiral rows and leading from the center'of the disk to the outermost'eirculnr ro'w of pockets, said spiral rowsconnecting the several circular rows. a pinion mcshlng with said disk,power devices for connecting said disk and pinion with a motor and anelement to be driven, menus for moving the pinion into engagement withsaid spiral rows oi pockets in the disk to shift it to and from thecenter of thc disk while enc: `ed therewith, und means for holding' thcphilou statldnary :it the center oi the disk,

8. In a variable speed gcariug, lhc combination of u rotatable diskhaving on one I'nce n centrnhpocket, a series of pockets arranged inconcentric rows about said central pocket, and additional pocketsarranged in spiral rows connecting sold central pocket' nud concentricrows, u pinion meshing with thc pockets in said disk, power devices forconnecting said disk and pinion with :i motor, and nu element to bedriven, and means for causing the pinion to engage the spiral rows oi'pockets in ille disk and move to or,

from the center of the disk, n tooth ou the pinion engaging the centralpockcbof thc disk when in aiinemeut therewith and holding the pinionrelatively stationary.

.i, In a variable speed gen1-ing, the combination oi' u rotatable diskhaving on one face a central pocket, :1 seriesI of pockets arranged in.concentric rows nbou't said central pocket, and a series ofpockets-arrunged in spiral rows and connecting said central pocket withthe aforesaid circular rows a pinion engaging ihe pockets in the disk,power devices for connecting the disk and pinion with n motor and withun clement to be driven, und menus for shifting thc pinion ironsv1-|'sclof the disk into engagement with either circular row of pockets thereinfir willi the central pocket,l said spiral rows of pockets permitting'such adjustment ou opposite sides of the ccnlcr of the disk whereby thedirection oi" rotation of the driven part may be reversed.

lo, In a variable speed gearing, the combination oi n rotatable diskhaving in one l'acc n serios of pockets iiirnugcd in cmiccnlrlc rows, apinion engaging said pockets in the disk, power devices i'or connectingsaid'lllsk :ind piu ion with :i motor and an element lo be driven, meansl'or shifting the pinion traum rscly of the disk luto engageY meut witheither oi` said concentric rou-s oi' pockets, and moans forauioumtlcnlly varying the speed of said pinion durinc,` its passagei'rour one ol' said rows to :mother lo prcrnnt jur or shock as itengages either row ot' pockets on the disk. A

il. In n vnrinhle speed gearing, thc combination of a gear having on oneface a series ol pockets arranged in concentric rows, `the pockets ineach row starting from n common line lying in a plane yincluding theaxisof the disk and forming a segment of parallel rows adjacent saidline, and having additional pockets arrangedin spiral rows extendingacross said segment and connecting the aforesaid circular rows, a pinionengaging the'pockets in said disk, power devices for connecting the diskand pinion with a motor and with an element to be driven, and means forshifting the pinion into engagement with said spiral rows ol' pockets inthe disk to adjust it from one circularl row thereon to another as itpasses across said segment.

l' in a variable speed gearing, the combination of a rotalalil'e disk,having in one face a series of pockets arranged in concentric rows, andhaving a plurality of parallel grooves connecting alined pockets inadjacent rows and forming a segment of parallel grooves extending fromthe renier of the disk to the outer row of pockets therein, a pinionhaving teeth adapted to enter said pockets in the disk. an d,means forshifting said pinion to and from the renier of the disk' when the teeththereon are in eng-.ige-

xnent with pockets connected by the aforesaid parallel grooves.

13. In a variable speed gearing, the combination of a rotatable diskhavingon one face a series of pockets arranged in rows concentric with acentral pocket, a groove or channel connecting said central pocket withalined pockets in each ofthe concentric rows, and a plurality of shortergrooves or channels extending parallel to the one aforesaid andconnecting alined pockets in the several rows and forming a segment ofparallel grooves, a pinion having teeth adapted to enter said pockets inthe disk, and means for shifting said pinion toward and from the centerof the disk when in engagement with pockets connected by said parallelgrooves. l

14. In a variable speed gearing, the combination of a rotatable disk,having on one face a series of pockets arranged in concentric rows, apinion adapted to engage-said pockets on the disk, and means for causingsaid pinion to automatically move transversely of the disk and intosuccesslve engagement with the dil'erent rows of pockets withoutdisconnecting said pinion and disk, or any of the power devicesconnected therewith.

15. In a variable speed gearing, the combination of a rotatable diskhaving on one face a series of pockets arranged in concentric rows, apinion adapted to engage said pockets, -and means for automaticallysluiting the pinion transversely of the disk at each revolution thereof,whereby the pinion may be caused to successively engage each row ofpockets on the disk. Y

16. In a variable speed gearing, the combination of a rotatable disk,having on one face a series of pockets arv ranged in concentric rows, apinion adapted to engage said pockets-on the disk, means for adjustingthe pinion transversely of the disk, to cause it to engage either of therows. of pockets thereon, a rack bar connected to the pinion to movelaterally therewith, and a cam geared to the disk and engaging said rackto prevent lateral movement of the pinion except when the disk ls in aparticular relation to the pinion.

17. ln a variable speed gearing, the combination of a disk having on oneface a series of pockets arranged in concentric rows, a pinion adaptedto mesh with the pockeis on said disk, means for shlftingthe piniontransversely of ihe disk into engagement with either row of pockets, arack bur connected to the pinion io move trans-- versi-ly of the disktherewith, and a cam geared to the diskand engaging said rack, said camhaving a gap or noirh formed therein and alining periodically with theengaging tooth of the rack to permit, the pinion to be intormltentlyadjusted transversely of the disk.

1'8. in a variable speed gearing, the combination of u disk having onone face-a series of pockets arranged in concentric rows, a pinionadapted to mesh with the pockets on said disk, means for shifting thepinion truns verst-ly of disk into engagement with either' row ofpockets, n rath har connected to the pinion to move transversely of thedisk therewith, and a camgeared to'the disk a'nd engaging said rack,said cam having a gapo'r 'notch formed therein and ailnlng periodicallywith the ong-aged tooth of the inc k to permit the pinion -tqbeintermittentiy adjusted transversely of the disk, said rack having areturn bend adapted to engage the cam when the pinion passesthe centerof the disk and the traversing segment of the disk is on the oppositeside of said center.

19. in a variable speed gearing, the combination of a disk having on oneface a series of pockets arranged in concentric rows, a -pnion adaptedto mesh with said pockl ets on the disk, means for shifting the piniontransversely of the disk, including a rack or toothed bar, a cam gearedto the disk, and engaging said rack or toothed bar, said cam having aperipheral gap or notch formed therein and permitting lateral movementof the rack and pinion when. in alinement with the rack, and a dog orpawl pivotally connected to the cam, and extending into the peripheralgap therein, into the path of the rack.

20. In a variable speed gearing, the combination of a rotatable disk,having on one face a series of engaging features arranged in concentricr'ows, a pinion adapted to engage said engaging features on the disk,and means for causing said pinion to automatically move.transversely ofthe disk and into successive engagement with the different rows ofengaging features without disconnecting said pinion and disk, or any ofthe power devices connected therewith.

21. in a variable speed gearing, the combinationof a rotatable diskhaving on one face a series of engaging features arranged in concentricrows, d' pinion adapted to engage said eng'aging features, and means forautomatically shifting the pinion transversely of the disk at eachrevolution thereof, whereby the pinion may be caused to successivelyvengage each row of engaging features on the disk. y

22. The combination of a wheel having a plurality of circular lines ofconcentric engaging features, a gear adapted to mesh with said engagingfeatures and movable diametrlcaliy across the said wh'ceband means formoving tbe gear, said means being actuated by the movement of the wheel.l

23. The combination of a wheel, having a plurality of concentric rows ofengaging features thereon, said en-4 gaging features including a radialfeature, a gear meshed with said engaging features, and means formovingthegear. radially along the wheel.

2i. 'lhe combination of a face gear having multiple rows -of engagingfeatures, a gear meshed therewith, a slide having connection with thegear, to movethe gear across the face of thchrst named gear, and meansfor actuating the slide, said' means being actuated by. the movement othe rst named gear.

25. The combination of a multiple gear, a second gear coacring therewithand movable acrossthe face thereof, a slide in connection with thesecond gear, and means actuated from the first named gear for moving theslide in either direction,

2G. 'lhe combination of a multiple gear, a gear lu mesh therewith andmovable across the face thereof, and means for shifting the second namedgear in either direction, said means being operated from the first namedgear.

27. In a variable speed gearing, the combination of a rotatable diskhaving in one face a plurality of series of engaging features arrange'din concentric rows and means conneting all of said concentric rows onthe same radii, whereby a pinion continuously engaging said disk may bemoved from one ol` said rows to another, a pinion engaging said engagingfeatures in the diskppower devices for' :28. in a variable speedgearing, the combination of a driving shaft. a driven shaft, n diskconnected tonne of said shafts and having in one .tce a series ofengaging features of the same pitch and arranged in'concentric,

rows, a pinion connected to the other of said shafts and adapted toengage the engaging features in said disk, and

means actuated by one of said shafts for shifting the piniontransversely of the disk and into engagement with any desired row oiengagipg features in said disk, to vary the speed of the driven shaft,without disconnecting said disk andgpinion'or any of the power devicesconnected with 29. In a variable speed'gearing, the combination 'of atenturesli-rangedin'oncentxic rowsfa pinion connected to thez other otsaid shafts to move longitudinally thereof Andlrotate therewith, said,pinion engaging the engaging i-:Mtul'esinl the disk, and means actuatedby one ot said 10 lhlftg `tot a'dJusting the pinion longitudinally ofthe shaft with which it is connected to cause it to engage any di siredrow of engaging features on the disk without dis connecting either saiddisk and pinion o1' dlsongaging any of the power devices,

In testimonylwherooi i aiilx my signature in pesence of two witnesses.

EDWARD P. COWLES. Witnesses S. B. Cnam,

A.\C. BURNETT.

